A campaign group has called on the Government to introduce a "sugar tax" to discourage consumption of sweetened soft drinks.

Action on Sugar said it had developed a seven-point plan to curb childhood obesity following a request for its views from Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

The measures include bringing in a sugar tax, limiting the availability of ultra-processed foods and sweetened soft drinks, and banning "junk food sports sponsorships".

The group's chairman, Professor Graham MacGregor, said: "Obesity in children leads to the premature development of cardiovascular disease, stroke, heart attacks and heart failure, which are the commonest cause of death and disability in the UK.

"Obesity predisposes to type II diabetes, which further increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and also, importantly, it can lead to severe complications, i.e. the commonest cause of blindness, renal dialysis and amputation of the lower limbs.

"These complications are extremely expensive to manage, and will cripple the NHS if the increase in obesity and type II diabetes is not stopped immediately.

"Obesity is preventable if the food environment is changed, yet the current policies are not working. The UK requires the implementation of this coherent strategy, starting by setting incremental sugar reduction targets for soft drinks this summer. No delays, no excuses."

Dr Aseem Malhotra, cardiologist and science director of Action on Sugar, said: "It is really quite shameful that the food industry continues to spend billions in junk food advertising targeting children, the most vulnerable members of society. They even manage to associate sugary products with sport.

"Physical activity has a multitude of benefits but a child doing an hour of PE every day would be putting all to waste if they ended up gorging on a burger and chips and a packet of crisps washed down with a sugary drink. One has to run half a marathon to burn off those calories. It's time to bust the myth of physical activity and obesity and dissociate junk food and sport."

The seven measures called for are:

:: Reduce added sugars by 40% by 2020 by reformulating food

:: Cease all forms of targeted marketing of ultra-processed, unhealthy foods and drinks to children

:: Remove responsibility for nutrition from the Department of Health and return it back to an independent agency

Action on Sugar is a group of specialists concerned with sugar and its effects on health, which is working to reach a consensus with the food industry and Government over the harmful effects of a high sugar diet, and bring about a reduction in the amount of sugar in processed foods.

A Department of Health spokesman said: "We know some people eat too many calories including sugar. Childhood obesity is at its lowest since 1998 but more should be done.

"Next week we will get expert scientific advice on sugar which will help shape future thinking. We will consider these recommendations as part of this."

When I was a young biddy pop, crisps, ice cream and sweeties were 'treats' not a part of everyday scoffing. We never felt deprived but we certainly didn't get them everyday, your Mam or Dad got you a packet of crisps each NOT gigantic multi packs you could go at anytime you wanted. Ice cream was a treat at the seaside or when you went to the cinema you didn't have a freezer full of it

It is not just a case of not eating it because we had more will power in the 'old days' it simply was not avaliable before supermarkets you went to a butcher, greengrocer and bakers so if you had children with you there was no chance you were going to be pestered to death because they had seen a enormous bottles of fizzy drink on a by one get one free offer.

When I was a young biddy pop, crisps, ice cream and sweeties were 'treats' not a part of everyday scoffing. We never felt deprived but we certainly didn't get them everyday, your Mam or Dad got you a packet of crisps each NOT gigantic multi packs you could go at anytime you wanted. Ice cream was a treat at the seaside or when you went to the cinema you didn't have a freezer full of it
It is not just a case of not eating it because we had more will power in the 'old days' it simply was not avaliable before supermarkets you went to a butcher, greengrocer and bakers so if you had children with you there was no chance you were going to be pestered to death because they had seen a enormous bottles of fizzy drink on a by one get one free offer.OldBiddyFrom Barney

"Incentivise healthier food and discourage drinking of soft drinks by introducing a sugar tax". Like that worked with alcohol and tobacco. Tax the companies for the sugar they add, as it is in flippin' everything now. If it is suddenly less cost effective to add sugar, they will soon stop doing it and find another way to make their products more appealing to people.

"Incentivise healthier food and discourage drinking of soft drinks by introducing a sugar tax". Like that worked with alcohol and tobacco. Tax the companies for the sugar they add, as it is in flippin' everything now. If it is suddenly less cost effective to add sugar, they will soon stop doing it and find another way to make their products more appealing to people.lemooseigh

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